Poonam Barua is Director, PAMASIA Global -- an independent firm specializing in corporate and institutional diplomacy, global corporate advisory services, and building leadership across a range of diverse stakeholders, based in New Delhi.

Ms. Barua is also Founder-Chairman of the distinguished ?b>Forum for Women in Leadership?WILL Forum India -- that brings together senior women executives from leading companies in India and multinationals for leveraging the vast talent-pool of women executives, sharing best practices for women in the workplace, and mentoring women for leadership positions. Over 3,000 women executives across 250 companies have participated in the WILL Forum programs since its launch in 2007, and produced the “WILL Mentees: Batch of 2009 and 2010.?Founding members of the WILL Forum include Tata Consultancy Services, KPMG, and Infosys Technologies.

Ms. Barua has authored several WILL Research Reports and surveys on “Sharing Best Practices for Women in the Workplace,? “Differentiating Styles of Women in Leadership,?“WILL User’s Guide: Mentoring Women for Best Rewards?with Deloitte, and the WILL-KPMG Report on “In Pursuit of Balanced Leadership.?/P>

Ms. Barua is also a Member of the IFC-World Bank “Global Roundtable on Board Diversity?(Washington DC); Member of the US-based “Vital Voices of Asia Summit: Women in Leadership? and Visiting Faculty and Fellow at the Salzburg Global Seminar, Austria.

For over a decade, Ms. Barua has been Regional Director - India, The Conference Board, New York, and launched the highly successful "Human Resources Council- India? and "Council on Corporate Governance & Risk Management?in India. She is fully committed to bringing transparency and corporate governance, and serves as an Independent Director on the Board of WalchandPeopleFirst Ltd. in Mumbai, and on the Governing Board of IILM Graduate School.

Ms. Barua has been awarded a Visiting Scholarship at The Wharton School Advanced Management Program for her work on women in leadership. She also holds a Ford Fellowship at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, for her work on conflict resolution in South Asia, and is a Visiting Fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center (Wash DC). Ms. Barua has also served as Special Consultant for distinguished international institutions ?including the Eisenhower Fellowships, London Business School, and Financial Markets Inc.

Ms. Barua is a trained economist with a Master’s Degree from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics, and has served as Chief Program Specialist for over a decade at the United States Information Service in New Delhi. She has also been a Lecturer in Economics at Delhi University and Research Associate at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, and gives Guest Lectures in Slovenia and Austria during her free time.